fashion

This was definitely a Runway to remember and not remotely what anyone expected. Twitter was going insane during the show, and I'm not sure anyone could agree on who they liked best or who they thought should win, but everyone definitely had an opinion and if will definitely be a season to remember.

I was sorry that Margarita was eliminated first because I really loved her collection. The judges were skeptical about her resort-wear aesthetic and just didn't love it in the end, but I firmly believe she has a clientele that and she has the talent to thrive.

Her first few looks featured an abstract tropical fish print, which could have gone crazy really quickly, but the ease of her shapes toned the looks down just enough to still be wearable, and the beadwork is phenomenal.

The looks that I think ended up being Margarita's downfall were the overtly Puerto Rican designs. They looked a little too "West Side Story" salsa dance-ey, and while there is definitely a market for them they didn't exactly fit the vibe of the rest of the collection.

Margarita's striped jumpsuit hit all the right notes for me. The stripe print made the model look like a tall glass of water, and the waist detailing was intricate and flattering. Anthropologie could sell a hundred of these tomorrow.

The red satin pieces were some of my favorites in Margarita's collection. The draping and fabrication was so rich and luxurious, and she kept them within her island aesthetic by pairing them with her wacky print. I'm thrilled that she paired her beaded bomber jacket with a more simply-shaped dress to give it a stand-out moment.

Margarita's model Jasmine owned the entire season with her BOOM BOOM POW skirt reveal. The entire fashion industry has not seen a plus model strut her stuff in a swimsuit with this level of energy, and I lost my mind watching it. It was a fashion moment we'll never forget.

The last two looks were the epitome of how to end a fashion show. Give them color, give them pattern, and give them drama.

Regardless of being eliminated, Margarita can be very proud of what she showed. She made her mark and I think we'll hear a lot more from her.

As I suspected after his preview, Brandon's collection was a whole lot of the same. I feel bad because he was so devastated to be sent home, but in comparison to the other designers he just didn't make par. They are all very Brandon, all very cool, and there is definitely a market for his clothes, but in the context of a fashion show, they fell flat coming out one right after the other. I don't even have commentary on his outfits because none of them stand out for me...so...here they are?

I'm sure Brandon has a great future in fashion ahead of him. After all, he's only 23, and because he made such a mark throughout the season he should have no trouble finding success.

Ayana had the most potential to win going into the finale process, but I was definitely nervous for her after her preview. In the end, I think she pulled off some fantastic work, but she was stuck with several mini-collections that didn't vibe well together for my personal taste.

She started off with several sportswear looks. The white textured fabric was cool, but the silver metallic was clingy in all the wrong places for her models, and they just didn't fit with the luxury details of the rest of her collection.

The next few pieces, which Ayana previewed for the judges, were definitely the most successful. The frayed material and tone-on-tone fabrics were textured, layered, and interesting.

Once this muddy floral became a key player in the collection, I started to get mixed feelings. I liked it in combination with the light textured skirt-over-pants, but then she brought back the shiny silver and it just didn't make sense to me. The ruffles were a little too 70's inspired for my taste and they didn't seem to make sense with the rest of the collection.

Then Ayana came out with these silky, layered looks that reminded me of 1920's Hollywood leisure looks. Don't get me wrong, they were beautiful, and the layers flowed and flipped down the runway like nothing I've ever seen, but they gave me the impression that Ayana didn't really know what girl she was trying to sell to or what story she was trying to tell.

But alas, all was forgiven with this finale look. I mean...holy crap. This is one of the most stunning gowns I've ever seen, not just on Runway, but in my life. The way Ayana manipulated the veil is incredible, and this look will go down in Project Runway history.

In the end, Ayana just wanted to show too much and her collection was unfocused. That said, her talent is unmistakable, and her portrayal of a modest aesthetic in a cool, contemporary way has put her on the map.

After the judges' preview, Kentaro was so sure he was going to lose that he felt free to do whatever he wanted. This definitely worked to his advantage, and it's clear that when he loosens up and steps outside his box, magic happens.

The first few black-and-white looks were intricate and detailed from every angle. I didn't think it was possible to make a white, stiff cotton workable, but somehow the shapes just make sense. The painted details and juxtaposition in fabric lengths were so unique.

The transition in the color story was very well done. The cut-out top was fantastic on its own, but to tease with another black-and-white look from the front while turning it into a blush look from the back was brilliant.

Kentaro got a lot of flak throughout the season for not creating very flattering looks for curvier models, and I admit that this was not my favorite in his collection. I appreciated that it was a more wearable, ballet-inspired piece, but the fit issues in the bodice were definitely noticeable and it wasn't very successful.

I'm willing to forgive the last misstep due to the exquisite beauty in his next lineup of pieces. The blush look he showed in his preview was made even better with some post-preview tailoring and styling edits.

The red pieces (and yes, they are red - the photos make them look orange) showcased Kentaro's draping skills and were feminine but daring looks. They were a perfect balance of simplicity and drama.

His last two pieces were not quite as interesting - I would have preferred the white slip dress to have been placed earlier in the collection, and the finale piece would have packed more punch with a red-fabric underlay instead of the white. That said, they definitely felt like they were part of the collection and had a soft, delicate flow down the runway.

Kentaro was a controversial choice for the win. A lot of people felt that Brandon was robbed given his work throughout the season, and many others thought that Ayana's modest aesthetic deserved to be showcased. Personally, I think Margarita made more leaps and bounds throughout the season and she had the most dramatic collection of the bunch.

Each of the designers had completely different aesthetics, so it was really a toss-up as to who the judges would be drawn to. All in all, I can't be mad that Kentaro won. He has a delightful personality, and due to his age it would be more difficult for him to break into the industry without Project Runway's help. I'm proud of how he made it through the ups and downs of the season and stayed true to his vision to the end.

The pre-fashion-week home visits are my favorites, and it's always a good way to tell who is in good standing and who may be in trouble. There have never been five home visits before, so Tim Gunn had his work cut out for him to make his way all across the country to guide the designers through their visions.

If you remember from the last episode, the judges only *guaranteed* three spots for Fashion Week, so the designers had to show the judges a two-look preview to decide who was officially moving forward. In the past they have done this with three-look previews, and I think that's a better system to allow the designers to showcase a beginning, middle, and end to their collections. A lot of them struggled with choosing two looks that fully represented every aspect of their collections, and it didn't feel like a very fair system.

But hey, they didn't ask me.

Brandon's collection was very Brandon and obviously the judges loved it. I was a tiny bit horrified by his flamingo print (and by a tiny bit horrified, I mean I was yelling at the TV about flamingos for a solid hour.) As far as I could tell, he used the flamingos in every single look, and I would think he might get in trouble for creating 10 of what is essentially the same look with the same fabric. I can appreciate that he treated some of the fabric to create a lighter version of the same print, but in comparison to the other textile work he's done throughout the season it felt a bit lazy.

The first look Brandon showed the judges was a mixed bag. I liked the pants, though a paper-bag waist is sometimes tricky to wear. The top was not as successful, which Zac Posen was quick to point out. If he swaps the top out for a simpler tank he should be in good shape.

The second look was much more successful, and his styling with the backpack was sporty and cute. I like the shapes he's created, but I'm not sure they're original enough to get him to the top. In the preview of the finale episode, it shows him sleeping while the other designers are hard at work doing finishing touches; his over-confidence might get the best of him.

Margarita told the judges she would "bring it," and she certainly did. While her print is a love-it-or-hate-it situation, I loved that she took her inspiration from her family's 80's couch, and she kept her styling chic and cool. In comparison to the other designers she has the loudest color story, which will definitely help her stand out in the pack.

While I completely loathe the hyper-flared pants in her first preview look, I can appreciate their value from a fashion show standpoint. They remind me of Kelly Dempsey's work a few seasons back. She was smart to style the pants with a simple, but beautifully draped top, and overall it was very thoughtful and well presented.

The judges were not crazy about this look, and I felt bad because Tim basically told Margarita to style the look in this way; she wanted to pair the bodysuit with the bomber jacket, and Tim directed her to make a new pair of shorts to tone down the look. While it certainly isn't the most original thing we've seen on the runway, the detail in the bomber jacket is absolutely stunning, and styled correctly I think it could work. As the judges said, she needs to take her designs off the beach and into New York; if she mixes-and-matches her pieces together in the right way, she could put on a great show.

Kentaro is making me nervous. At the home visit he said his design inspiration was based on different aspects of classical music, but in front of the judges he described a Japanese beach, which Tim looked very visibly confused about. Tim also warned him about his level of cohesion, and he would have been wise to take Tim's advice. He currently has a lot of exquisite but disjointed pieces, and it will take some careful edits to make it work as a collection. He didn't help himself with his styling, which Nina Garcia immediately loathed. Given his original classical music inspiration, I was surprised he went in a samurai direction, and I think he will be better off to go with softer, more romantic hair and makeup to suit his clothing.

I have no idea why Kentaro made his first look or bothered to show it to the judges. It looks like it's made out of basic muslin, and the stiff, weird black appendage sticking out of the model's hip has no form or function. I suspect Tim will guide him to scrap this entire look, and I hope he's able to pull off something last-minute that looks more luxurious.

The judges loved Kentaro's second preview look, and I wouldn't agree with them more. The draping is gorgeous and the movement in the skirt danced down the runway. The majority of his collection pieces seem to reflect this same feeling, so if he maintains this direction in his pieces he should be alright. So far Kentaro hasn't shown a great desire or ability to take direction or critique, so I hope he is able to make it work.

After reviewing the entire season's best, I realized that Ayana had more winning looks in my book than any other designer, so I was waiting with bated breath to see her collection. Unfortunately, I was very disappointed. She definitely picked her two best looks for her preview; the rest of her collection seems to be filled with drab, dingy grandma dresses. I desperately hope she is able to amp-up her pieces and style them in a way that makes them, well. Less awful. Right now I'm far from impressed.

Ayana's first preview look is very reminiscent of things she made throughout the season, and it's definitely the coolest look in her collection as far as I could tell. I loved that it was monochromatic but still multi-dimensional in texture and shape.

I was surprised Ayana showed this as her second look since the pants are nearly identical to the first look - then again, all she had to show beyond this were really ugly dresses, so I guess this was her only option. The detailing on the top is pretty, but it isn't a very interesting shape and has zero wow-factor. Showing this to the judges also might have given them the impression that her entire color story is this taupe-ey silver, and I don't think they'll be pleasantly surprised by her dirty-looking greens and browns.

And last but not least, our dear, dear Kenya. I really wanted to love Kenya's collection on the whole, and she had a lot of wonderful pieces, but in the end she focused too much on quality fabrication and less on styling and design.

I think Kenya shot herself in the foot a little bit by pairing this crop top/pants look with a flowy, beachy cover-up. The fabric of the cover-up is stunning, but the look was originally paired with a sleek, structured, pearl-embellished jacket, which was a lot more modern and finished-looking. This look left the judges confused about her overall design sensibility.

Kenya also had trouble with being assigned a model who could only fit into one of her looks. Given Kenya's skill in designing plus-size clothing I don't know why she didn't have more options that would fit her, but she was left with only one dress to work with, and an ill-fitting dress at that. Tim advised her to pair the dress with this cover-up, which the judges hated. I would tend to agree - the dress needed something to give it more of a wow-factor, but I'm not sure a soft, flowy cover-up worked over such a structured dress (a similar issue to her first look.)

In the end, the judges didn't feel like Kenya's collection rose to the level of the other contestants and she was not included in the top four to show at fashion week. Unfortunately, I agree with their decision. She had a lot of potential, but she needed more time to develop and receive mentorship to guide her through her styling.

I feel like at this point, it's a given that Brandon will win, and while I respect his designs and appreciate his talent, I don't really want him to win with that flamingo print. If Ayana had chosen different fabrics I think she would still have a fighting chance, and while I love Margarita's color story I'm not sure her designs are accessible enough for the judges to get on board. I don't even know if Kentaro's collection is in the running at all.

All that said, the judges have a tendency to do the opposite of what anyone expects, so WE SHALL SEE!!

It's hard to believe that we already made it to part one of the Project Runway Season 16 Finale, especially because I didn't blog any part of this season. I think I ended up audibly yelling all my thoughts and feelings about what went down on the show and then forgot to actually write any of it down; I sincerely apologize for depriving you of Runway Recaps.

This season was full of drama and scandal, but also had some delightful elements that kept it fresh and exciting after all these years. I loved that the show featured models ranging from size two to 22, and the "model confessionals" and extra behind-the-scenes footage was a nice addition.

This season also had some of the best designs in the show's history, and I wanted to take a brief look back at the best-of-the-best throughout each episode thus far. These looks were not necessarily the official challenge winners or the favorites of the judges, but they deserve recognition all the same.

***SEASON SPOILERS AHEAD - READ AT YOUR OWN RISK***

Episode 1: Red Carpet Challenge

Creating a Hawaiian floral look is risky at best, but Deyonte completely nailed it. The way he cut apart and broke up the large-scale floral made it look painterly and abstract, and the silhouette on his curvy model was stunning. A well-deserved challenge win for week one!

Episode 1: Red Carpet Challenge

I was very upset that Ayana didn't get recognized for this look. The hand-pieced floral is intricate and beautiful, and the color combination of the grey and green is fresh and unexpected. Her modest aesthetic is unique and inspiring, and she still managed to make her model look sexy while completely covered in this gown. I could tell immediately that she had talent, and I'm glad she's made it so far in the season.

Episode 2: Unconventional Team Challenge

This was one of the more disappointing team challenge episodes in the show's history. I understand making clothes out of garbage and recyclable materials is difficult, but the creativity was lacking overall - except for this look. Ayana took her team's color scheme and ran with it, adding texture and hand-made textiles wherever she could, which resulted in a multi-dimensional, editorial piece.

Episode 3: Dance, Innovation and Movement Challenge

I so, so wish Amy had been able to make it farther along in the season. She made innovative, transformational pieces right and left, and I would have loved to see a collection from her. This look featured a jumpsuit that could be flipped upside-down and worn as a hoodie. My brain is still trying to wrap around how anyone could even conceive that idea, and it looked so sporty and cool on the runway.

Episode 3: Dance, Innovation and Movement Challenge

This was the first episode where Brandon's work stood out to me. All the loops and fastens give it a bit of a steampunk vibe while still staying modern and cool.

Episode 4: Heidi Klum Intimates Challenge

I'm all about a good Gatsby reference, Michael's hit all the right deco notes while still representing the Heidi Klum Intimates brand. In spite of it being a straight slip, it still manages to be shapely and would look great on any figure. The color, pattern, and strap detail is delightfully feminine, and maintains modesty while still exuding sexiness.

Episode 5: Good and Evil Challenge

This was by far Kenya's best look of the season. I never would have thought to take the inspiration of evil and turn it into the baddest boss lady in a satin pantsuit, and it somehow works on every level. It has simple, clean lines but is still dark and dramatic.

Episode 5: Good and Evil Challenge

Can. We. Say. Beyonce. Model Liris completely killed it in Michael's look, and I still can't comprehend that this gown only has one seam. Talk about talent in tailoring. The feather detail could have gone so tacky so fast, but it's royal and regal in all the best ways.

Episode 6: Models Off-Duty Challenge

I knew Kentaro had potential, and he really lived up to it with this challenge. I loved how he and his model mutually connected through their understanding of Japanese culture, and he used that connection to his advantage in his inspiration. This challenge of creating an Instagram-worthy look was fulfilled and embodied new, editorial streetwear.

Episode 7: Menswear-Inspired JCPenny Challenge

Kentaro whipped out another great look for the menswear-inspired challenge, and he and Brandon made a fantastic team. The "brothers" created an entire retail collection's worth of mix-and-match pieces in a sleek, athleisure, masculine-to-feminine aesthetic. There's something for everyone in this collection and it suits the JCPenny market perfectly.

Episode 7: Menswear-Inspired JCPenny Challenge

As much as I loved Brandon and Kentaro's pieces, Margarita's dress was a flawless, stand-out piece for her. It was a sweet, feminine take on a men's shirt, and the ruching, slits, and asymmetry worked together beautifully. I was thrilled that she won and that this look was reproduced by JCPenny - it was actually one of the better Project Runway re-productions in the show's history, so if you got it before it sold out, congratulations! (And congrats to Margarita as well.)

Episode 8: Client On-the-Go Challenge

Kentaro's client needed a multi-purpose dress that she could wear to an Indian wedding, and he absolutely delivered. The color was a bold and outstanding choice, his minimalist print complimented it perfectly, and the pleated details in the back were a simple but impactful touch. I was pretty bummed that he didn't win this challenge, but if he makes a fashion week collection anywhere close to this I'll be a happy camper.

Episode 9: Shopkins Avant Garde Challenge

There were a lot of fantastic looks in this episode, but Ayana deserved a special shout-out. How she created this in a single day is baffling, and I could totally see a version of it at the Met Gala.

Episode 9: Shopkins Avant Garde Challenge

This was another gloriously feminine dress from Margarita. I was worried about her in the workroom, and this level of draping can go very wrong very quickly, but in the end her model looked like she was floating on a glittery unicorn cloud.

Episode 9: Shopkins Avant Garde Challenge

I wasn't sure what to think about Michael's "melting disco ball" inspiration, but it ended up working really well on the runway. He definitely deserves all the props for managing to sculpt and tailor sequins, and since the challenge prize involved reproduction on a Shopkins doll, I understand why he won. It was a really cool, fantastical look.

Episode 10: Lexus Unconventional Challenge

Throughout the season, Ayana continued to pull out all the stops. This is probably the best unconventional challenge design I've ever seen. I mean, she created a leather-look top with a mosaic collar, a painted textile, a floating ballgown skirt and a headpiece. HOW. It's conceptual and impeccable, and she proved herself to be the one to watch.

Episode 11: Warrior Woman Challenge

Ayana blew me away once again in this episode. She took the challenge in an unexpected direction, her tailoring was flawless, and I love a girl who pulls off a stripe-on-stripe.

Episode 12: Winter Wonderland Challenge

Brandon's looks are most successful when he stays away from his strappy-tied aesthetic (which, while a favorite of the judges, is a little gimmicky to me at this point.) This design was clearly his but he pushed his creativity and he played around with layering in a fresh way.

Episode 12: Winter Wonderland Challenge

Kentaro had some ups and downs throughout the season, but this was a major comeback for him. I think he described it as looking like whipped cream...or a marshmallow? Some type of white dessert. Whatever. It looks fantastic. I never would have considered shorts in the winter, but in this fabrication and styled with the leg warmers it just all works.

Part one of the season finale is featuring five designers: Brandon, Kentaro, Ayana, Margarita, and Kenya. Only THREE of them are guaranteed spots at Fashion Week, which is stressful and terrifying. I'll be hitting you up soon with my takes on the designer's collection previews and, of course, you'll get my season finale recap after it airs next week.

Thanks a million for reading and waiting patiently for my two cents.What are your thoughts? Who do you think will win this sweet sixteen season??